Built-From-Scratch "Super Sprayer"

Built-From-Scratch Super Sprayer PICKUPS Miscellaneous Custom operator Matt Hanson can spray where no one else can go using his home-built 4-WD super sprayer built from the ground up The one-of-a-kind sprayer rides on either tires or steel tracks and features all-wheel-steering 4-wheel hydraulic drive a self-leveling air ride suspension system front and rear locking axles on-board air and a state-of-the-art GPS system Hanson introduced the pickup sprayer at the recent Big Iron farm show in West Fargo N Dak where it was equipped with tracks a 300-gal tank and a 5-section 60-ft boom A 4-cyl Cummins industrial engine with 116 hp powers the rig I specialize in spraying noxious weeds on rough ground such as pastures or wet cropland The sprayer will go anywhere regardless of field conditions says Hanson The pickup sprayer mounts on 40-in tall tires or 16-in wide tracks The tall tires or tracks provide the pickup with about 16 in of clearance compared to 6 to 8 in of clearance on conventional pickup sprayers says Hanson Putting tracks on a standard pickup can tear up the front end of the truck in no time However my pickup was beefed up to handle them And the on-board air system lets me keep all 4 wheels spinning at the same time in muddy ground The vehicle s cab hood and front fender wells came off a 1995 Chevy Silverado S-10 SS pickup and mount on a home-built frame and air-ride suspension system The front axle is a Dana 60; the rear axle is a Chevy 14-bolt with Dana 60 knuckles The rear axle can be independently steered using separate controls inside the cab Each corner of the pickup s air suspension system can be controlled independently using switches and air pressure gauges inside the cab which helps keep the load level on big hills When you re driving uphill with a conventional pickup sprayer water in the tank tends to lift the front end of the vehicle says Hanson I ve seen high clearance self-propelled sprayers sitting back on the boom with the nose straight up in the air To keep that from happening I can put more air in my rear air bags and less air in the front bags When going down hill I increase the air pressure in front and decrease it in back so water in the tank stays level and doesn t push the front end of the pickup down I have 2 gauges and 4 switches inside the cab and each gauge has 2 needles in it so I can control all four corners individually The pickup can also turn sharp thanks to hydraulic steering on both the front and rear axles Chemical is applied using a hydraulic-driven pto system instead of a motor pump to reduce maintenance Boom sections can be controlled either manually or automatically I can spray in widths of 8 to 60 ft wide at a time says Hanson Hanson says he s willing to custom-build the pickup sprayer for others either with tracks or tires The price for a pickup with tires ranges from $80 000 to $100 000 depending on options Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Matt Hanson Super Sprayers Inc 17196 16th St S Gardner N Dak 58036 ph 701 200-5158; matt@supersprayers com; www supersprayers com

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